HMRC publicly shamed me as a criminal – then demanded I pay a £132k bill’
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/tax/it-took-three-years-to-clear-my-name-hmrc-publicly-shamed/
by scotorosc
HMRC publicly shamed me as a criminal – then demanded I pay a £132k bill’
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/tax/it-took-three-years-to-clear-my-name-hmrc-publicly-shamed/
by scotorosc
31 comments
Aaah, The Telegraph. What am I meant to be angry about today?
She clearly catalogued the contact, and fair fucking play. Those paragraphs outline so so many peoples experiences of trying to deal with these organisations and it can be genuinely damaging to you.
Look at this shit
1. Calls HMRC Fraud, gets sent to Action Fraud
2. Calls Action Fraud, gets sent back to HMRC Fraud
3. Calls HMRC Debt Management who claim to raise the case (which wasn’t ever followed up)
4. Calls HMRC Business Tax, told she’d be called back (she wasn’t)
5. Finally finds the right team, they apologise and remove her details
…
6. Random letter drops saying she owed £130k within 10 days
7. Calls the number on the letter
8. Gets transferred to the VAT team
9. Call gets dropped
10. Calls original number again
11. Gets transferred to somebody totally different (Customs)
12. Gets transferred, again, to the insolvency service
13. Gets transferred again, put on hold, line drops
Honestly, just aside from the overall incompetence, it is a fucking disgrace. I’m not what you’d call “emotionally vulnerable”, but when you have an actual life, and shit to do, and something is important and you have to deal with that it leaves you feeling utterly helpless, anxious, and so so angry and upset and there is NOTHING you can do about it.
These companies are cunts. And full of cunts. And managed by cunts.
> An HMRC spokesman said: “We’ve apologised to Ms O’Donovan for wrongly issuing her with a bankruptcy letter. This shouldn’t have happened.
> “The assessment and penalty were cancelled after Ms O’Donovan explained that her address had been hijacked.”
Useless pricks.
Sounds like she’s making a lot of excuses , If a delivery came that you returned and HMRC letter came through you would make more of an effort to get through to speak to someone rather than decide not to.
Just blame “bad grammar” but also apparently being 18 pages long and complex.
Edit: Getting downvoted because people don’t like the HMRC, but I have a point in the fact she didn’t actually get in contact with the HMRC until after the friend spoke to them after years of letters. Then it got fixed.
The blaming of fax paper and grammar is just to justify her not actually getting in touch with them.
I were publicly shamed too, accused of a crime I didn’t commit. ended up goin’ to prison for it too. rough place it was makes you all cold and sad.
> The reason I know all this is because Gabrielle has written a book about her experience, Gino’s Contraband: Guilty Until Proven Innocent, and she sent me an advance copy.
Well color me shocked.
The fundamental problem with bodies like Local Councils and HMRC is that they hold the stick over your head and somehow it becomes your responsibility (on top of shit you have to do everyday) to make sure their ancient communication system is able to address your problem
Sometimes i think the ancient systems are a deliberate ploy to evade accountability
I took a couple of months off work while been self-employed had a scrap in a pub anyway while I was away I had to do self assessment they sent me a 4k bill I had no way to call them so I paid it anyway when I got out I had the 4k back and 2.5k rebate quite a stressful time not helped by HMRC and HMP service
I got a bill saying I owed £6k and separately going to change my tax code as well.
I disputed it and then they found they hadn’t applied our last two payments and now they owe us money but are still claiming late payment penalty fees.
Now they’ve changed the tax code back…
They are not fit for purpose
Paying tax is for poor people and non politicians, it’s that easy.
Terrifying that they were assuming she was guilty without any proof.
Seems to be the norm in court proceedings in the UK nowadays
Has anyone tried moving goods from uk to Southern Ireland? Now that is a shitshow
I’ve received threatening letters from HMRC before, warning of daily increasing fines until I paid them thousands of pounds.
This forced me to do a significant amount of work on my own to prove their mistake. It’s incredibly frustrating, and honestly, HMRC might just be the most inept organisation in the country – which is saying a lot, given they share an island with Southeastern Rail!
Surprise, surprise, HMRC is shit
I set up a company and needed a VAT number to import goods
Step 1: reguster VAT
Step 2: Get a letter sent to me. When the letter arrives with VAT No., I send it to the courier on the same day.
Step 3: The courier tells me it’s not valid. I send them a picture of the letter to show them its legit.
Step 4: Go on VAT checker. VAT is not valid.
(So they decided to cancel the VAT number as the number got to me so brilliant!)
Step 5: Call HMRC. Get told that the compliance team wants more information.
Step 6: Letter arrives: VAT has been cancelled. I have 30 days to provide information. I dont have to HMRC (by snail mail only)
Step 7: Call HMRC to ask what to do if I dont have the information requested. Get told there are alternatives to the information I can send.
Step 8: Send the information.
Step 9: VAT number reinstated and sent to Courier.
Step 10: VAT number invalid again because the information I provided is not enough
Step 11: Liquidated the business, and now it’s dormant because I couldn’t be arsed to continue.
Why doesn’t HMRC allow you to deal with enquiries by email like basically every other organisation? No email address, there is a ‘web chat’ that hardly ever works. So you end up having to call them EVERY time. The phone system is an absolute nightmare. It is so inefficient and ridiculous.
I have a friend who works for HMRC in one of their head offices. the teams don’t even sit together, it’s all hot desking. 50% of the staff are permanently on home working. Absolutely useless organisation, nobody cares at all about anything from the top down.
HMRC told me NOT to do a tax return. In writing.
Then fined me for not doing one.
Then refused my appeal quoting “it’s not our job to tell you the law”.
Then it turned out they owed me money and they withheld the fine from their payment.
Total shit show.
I do a tax return every year now, even when NOT required just to make sure they pay me the maximum deductions etc.
What don’t they use emails? In this day and age. Emails should be enough to communicate.
Reading these comments is bringing up PTSD from dealing with these absolute incompetent cunts over 3 years. I was the most depressed I’ve ever been in my life and actually suicidal because of these cunts! They ruined my life and many others, and I’m still dealing with the aftermath 6yrs on! The fuckers even called to my home address (completely separate from my business address and I’ve never given my home address) demanding a payment there and then, which we actually never owed in the first place, again, because of their incompetence! You’re just a number on an account to them, that’s all. And unless you can afford a lawyer or be prepared to fight and sue them, they will harass you for as long as they feel like.
We fought the cunts and beat them without lawyers. Never give in and keep records of absolutely everything! Fuck these cunts!
On a side note, I know a few people who work with HMRC, and even they admit some of the practices are abhorrent and they get sued quite often.
You’re dealing with bullies that twist words and meanings and fight like it’s their personal money leaving their personal bank account. They’ll make your life a total misery, then log off early because they’re having a leaving party and/or it’s Friday, and you’ll know this because you’ll get a generic ‘out of office’ response. I’m really not exaggerating, I’ve still got the email records.
I’m not surprised that HMRC fucked up, they’ve managed to fuck up my taxes more than once over the years meaning that I’ve ended up owing money to the government, the last time it was over £1000.
I’ve ended up downloading the HMRC app so I can keep a consistent track of how much I pay in tax and if I receive any messages from them.
HRMC thought the best thing they could do for me was to declare me bankrupt. I was then not in a position to give them any money as i wasnt allowed to have any. Meanwhile trying to work on cash only that i could borrow. KPMG then thought they’d mega charge to do the insolvency. Lost home, job, car, and eventually family. KPMG and HMRC are the biggest cunts in cuntville. Left me in a hole its taken 10yrs to climb out of.
Years ago I got a letter and multiple SMS messages from HMRC that had the tone of “you Criminal, your tax is wrong and you’ll be prosecuted. Create an SA account and detail everything there and pay up within 7 days, or else”. It takes 5 days to receive the letter for the SA password. Until then, everyday I kept receiving such threatening messages and letters. Everything goes through PAYE, so I had never had to deal with taxes directly. I dug out all payslips etc, filed the SA. They replied “it’s as we feared, we owe you money”. FFS.
I don’t often get to use kafkaesque, but I think it fits here
HMRC: Sorry, you can’t have your tax rebate for another 60 days because we need to do additional identification checks.
Me: But it took you about 60 seconds to decide I was the right person to take it from….but now, all of a sudden now I want it back, you’re not sure I’m the same person with the same NI number, adress and date of birth?
HMRC: I know, LOL, we’re just mad aren’t we?!
Why is it not on the **accuser** to prove the wrongdoing? You should never have to prove you that you **aren’t** someone or something.
I know someone who used to be a high-up in HMRC. The tales they tell are equal parts astonishing, enraging and depressing.
I had HMRC childcare call me and ask if my husband would earn over £100k this year. I said no, and they kept asking me to find out and double check. I told them to call him, they said they couldn’t as I am the account holder. After 30 min on hold I call them back and let them speak to him. “Will you earn over £100k this year” “no I won’t” “and what reason do you think this is?” “Because I literally don’t earn £100k”
As others have said HMRC have routinely topped customer DISSATISFACTION rates and surveys. Often on hold for a hour if not more and the line cuts out too.
Just awful people to deal with my own experience through their fuck up was horrendous I was literally in tears begging them to sort my case out instead was passed from line to line incorrectly then lines dropped just awful. I dread anytime I have to have anything to do with them.
Wait I thought this didn’t happen in UK? Could someone please ELI5?
Jumping in here with my own HMRC experience. I changed jobs a few years ago and there was apparently a mixup in that they still thought I was working in two places… Keep in mind that I’d been paid for two months with the correct tax codes. Clearly working one job. No drama. All of a sudden tax code changes, workplace can’t tell me why apparently HMRC won’t talk to them about it. But I’m getting bled here (I’d taken a pay cut moving as I was pivoting in professions) so I’m down to peanuts. It’s borderline if it’s minimum wage or not. After three straight days of phone calls, being on hold, line cutting out. Redirects and that god awful robot. I finally talk to someone.
He’s great, sorts me out straight away tells me nothing to worry about it’s an error on their part (automated system didn’t process the P45 properly) he’ll fix the tax code and I’ll get it back in bits monthly. Easier than getting the cheque I think so no drama I can survive I’ve got family who are willing to help and I’ve got a good support system (thankfully).
Two months later everything is sorted out and I get a letter from HMRC saying I owe them £400 for some unpaid tax somewhere along the line because of multiple jobs. I’m thinking this isn’t possible I just sorted this out.
So again back on the phones, back through the robots trying to find a human being. Only this time they tell me it’s all accurate because it’s not from that year it’s from 5 years ago. They’ve got a list of places that I worked (all of which I did work in but never at the same time) and I’m trying to advocate for myself here but this time they guy doesn’t want to know. “Either pay the money on the letter or fight it and you’ll end up paying more with the penalty charges”
I had to move around a lot and I’ve never been fantastic at keeping all the payslips and employment contracts past when they’d be useful for renting etc… (I do now though) So I can’t be bothered to fight it… They’ve worn me out by this point.
I’ll never have proof but I’m pretty convinced the two things are related. “We were wrong about one thing but let’s get this bloke for something”
If I never have to spend a minute listening to their hold music again I’ll consider myself a lucky man. Like I said I’m fortunate enough to have that support I don’t want to think about people who aren’t so lucky. It boils my blood. It’s a racket.
Have a small construction company so my income gets CIS taxed at source, HMRC currently has a £43k over payment on my account, but are still charging me interest on PAYE “not paid” because they won’t allocate them funds correctly so the system just keep adding on interest to “payments owed” (around £16k fyi) whilst having £43k of my money. Make it make sense!! 😆
Had to do my cousins tax rebate last year.
It was his first 1 ever so I expected some delays.
Took me about 9 months of absolute agony.
They asked for evidence of his earning so I sent them 2 years of bank statements.
His 10 months of self employed invoices/payslips. His paye slips previous and post employment o prove when he stopped and started blah blah blah
It basically amounted in a letter saying we have not received enough evidence to pursue your claim.
I was aghast!!!
I even sent it all recorded delivery…..
Finally got it sorted but it took possibly 40hrs of my time last year.
Split over 9 months :/
And that’s not including the time on hold or the disconnects.
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